Combined abdomen-supporting means and garter belt



Sept. 8, 1970 P. a. ROCKER 3,527,232

CQMBINED ABDOMEN-SUPPORTING MEANS AND GARTER BELT Filed Aug. 28, 1968 INVENTOR,

Paulo Blofl Rocker BY W W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,527,232 COMBINED ABDOMEN-SUPPORTING MEANS AND GARTER BELT Paula Blatt Rocker, Nu Vogue Creations, 812 Huron Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44113 Filed Aug. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 755,988 Int. Cl. A41c 1/00 US. Cl. 128-547 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention comprises an improved form of band having a front portion that is adapted to extend beneath the wearer's abdomen in supporting engagement therewith and having a rear portion for engagement with the sacroiliac region of the wearers body. These portions consist of strips of longitudinally elastic material that are, in each instance, arranged in such manner that they have maximum overlapping relation in the middle thereof so as to afford, at the front, maximum abdomen support without uncomfortable creasing during sitting position of the wearer and, at the rear, increased support and comfort in the sacroiliac region of the wearers body; while at the same time these overlapping band members, in each instance, diverge laterally from the middle thereof towards the two sides of the wearers body so as to pro vide increased vertical extent in the nature of a girdle for the side regions of the wearers hips and abdomen. Also, the front and rear garters for each leg are so positioned upon the belt that, when under tension in operative position upon the wearers body, they will tend to maintain the belt including the side portions thereof in firm engagement and position about her body and thereby ensure against the belt being dislodged from proper position.

This invention relates to the general class of maternity garments and, more particularly, is for a combined abdomen-supporting means and garter belt, being an improvement upon my Pat. No. 2,710,486 of June 14, 1955.

One object of my present invention is to provide an abdomen-supporting band that will avoid permanent creasing and the resulting uncomfortable sensation that might be otherwise experienced during sitting position of the wearer.

Another object is to embody in such a belt a rear band portion that is adapted to provide increased support and comfort in the sacroiliac region of the wearers body.

Another object is to provide such a belt that has merged with the features, just mentioned, increased means of engagement and support in the nature of a girdle for the intermediate regions of the wearers hips and abdomen.

Another object is to so arrange the garters upon the belt that, when in position of use upon the wearers body, they will extend in such manner as to aid in maintaining the belt in proper position upon the hips of the wearer and will prevent the same from being pulled down off of her hips; while, at the same time, the front and rear garters for each leg will extend in substantially parallel relation to each other when in position of use and thereby avoid twisting of the stockings.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a front view of my present belt in position of use upon the body of the wearer;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the belt itself.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the front abdomen-supporting portion comprises the Patented Sept. 8, 1970 longitudinally elastic upper member 1 and the under ying longitudinally elastic lower member 2, these two members being secured to each other in such manner that their overlapping relation is greatest at the middle thereof and decreases gradually towards the sides of the belt. In this way there is provided more effective and more comfortable supporting engagement beneath the abdomen at the middle part thereof and, at the same time, there is afforded increased engagement about side regions of the abdomen and hips in the nature of a girdle. The member 2, while hereshown as underlying the member 1, may be arranged over the member 1; this being only a matter of choice without changing the principle of my invention as herein disclosed. Also, this invention is not restricted to the use of any particular style of elastic material for the member 2 so long as it performs the function for which it is intended.

This belt at the rear thereof may consist of the longitudinally elastic upper member 3 and the underlying longitudinally elastic lower member 4 which are secured together in overlying relation to each other so that, with the greatest degree of overlap at the middle part thereof, such relationship will gradually diminish outwardly towards the sides of the wearers body so as to contribute to the use of this belt as a girdle throughout the side regions of the wearers body, as above explained. Here also the overlapping relation of these two band members 3 and 4 may be reversed, as above explained in connection with members 1 and 2. The front and rear members are connected together at the sides of the belt; and the membags 1 and 3 may be provided as a continuation of each 0 er.

The front garters 5 and 6 are each attached at a point in the side region of the belt and extend forwardly along the lower edge of the member 1 and downwardly along the ends of the member 2 so as to be adapted to extend down along the front middle of the wearers thigh, in each instance, when in position of use upon her body.

The rear garters 7 and 8 are attached to the belt at points corresponding to the side hip regions of the wearers body and are adapted to extend forwardly at such an angle that, when in position of use, the front and rear garters for each leg will extend in substantially parallel relation to each other so as to prevent twisting of the stockings. At the same time this arrangement of the garters, by virtue of the forward direction of their tension, will serve to maintain the belt in proper position upon the hips of the wearers body and thus preclude the danger of it being pulled down therefrom; and this same arrangement of the garters, by virtue of the same manner of engagement, will ensure proper position of the comparatively heightened side portions of the belt about the side regions of the wearers abdomen and hips in the nature of a girdle.

The particular overlapping arrangement of the members 1 and 2 at the front of the belt will prevent permanent or objectionable creasing of this part of the belt and will thus avoid any uncomfortable sensation that might otherwise be experienced as a result of such creasing and the accompanying cutting sensation in this region of the wearers body, which would of course prove particularly objectionable during the sensitive period of pregnancy.

The similar overlapping arrangement of the elastic members 3 and 4 at the rear of the belt will afford increased support and correspondingly greater degree of comfort in the sacroiliac region of the wearers body.

' Thus this combination garment embodies features for increased comfort in both the abdominal and sacroiliac regions of the wearers body and, at the same time, partakes of the nature of a girdle by virtue of the increased vertical extent about the intermediate regions of her abdomen and hips; and the garters are arranged in such manner that they will prevent twisting of the stockings and will also, by the direction of their tension, maintain the belt in proper position upon the wearers hips without the danger of being dislodged therefrom and will also effectively engage the wider portions of the belt about the side regions of the wearers abdomen and hips in the nature of a girdle.

It is believed that other advantages, resulting from the present invention, will readily suggest themselves to those who are familiar with the art to which it relates; and it is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration and that there might be variations thereof without departing from the spirit of this invention as herein set forth and claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A combined abdomen-supporting means and garter belt, comprising overlapping longitudinally elastic band means having laterally diverging upper and lower end portions symmetrically arranged at the right and left there of with greatest overlap and least vertical extent at the middle point thereof beneath the abdomen of the wearer when in use and adapted to exert effective upward supporting engagement therebeneath in substantially creasefree condition, and in which the lower outer end portions are attached to said upper outer end portions, longitudinally elastic rear band means connecting the ends of said upper end portions so as to engage about the wearers waist region, and elastic garter members for each stocking attached to and depending from said belt.

2. The same structure as in claim 1 hereof and in which said rear band means comprises overlapping longitudinally elastic members with laterally diverging upper and lower end portions symmetrically arranged at the right and left thereof with greatest overlap and least vertical extent at the middle part corresponding to the sacroiliac region of the wearers body, said upper and lower rear end portions being attached together and also to the ends of said front band means so that their vertical extent together will serve as a girdle for the hips and sides of the abdomen of the wearer.

3. The same structure as in claim 1 hereof and in which said garter members are attached to the belt at points in the upper side hip regions of the wearers body and extend forwardly and downwardly along her forward thighs so that the forward tension of the garters when in position of use will serve to maintain the belt about and upon the hips of the wearers body.

4. The same structure as in claim 2 hereof and in which said garter members are attached to the belt at points in the upper side hip regions of the wearers body and extend forwardly and downwardly along her forward thighs so that the forward tension of the garters when in position of use will serve to maintain the belt upon the hips of the wearers body and to ensure firm engagement of the side girdle-like portions about her hips and the sides of her abdomen.

5. A combined abdomen-supporting means and garter belt, comprising front band means adapted to exert upward supporting engagement beneath the abdomen of the wearer when in position upon her body, and overlapping longitudinally elastic rear band means having laterally diverging upper and lower end portions symmetrically arranged at the right and left thereof with greatest overlap and least vertical extent at the middle point thereof corresponding to the sacroiliac region of the wearers body, said upper and lower end portions being attached together and also to the ends of said front band means, and elastic garter members for each stocking attached to and depending from said belt.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,716,993 6/ 1929 Von Halle 128547 2,446,590 8/ 1948 Hill 128-579 2,840,822 7/ 1958 Ericsson 128-547 3,174,482 3 /1965 Parrott l285 19 3,431,913 3/1969 Bugnon et al 128--546 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

